A Modern Woman's Perspective Of The Kingdom of God on Earth

July 18, 2013

Spiritual Prepping

I sometimes have to laugh. My husband, Peace-Loving Warrior, or myself, will get a phone call from a friend who considers themself to be up-to-date on current events and the state of the world. They make the effort to listen to alternative newsites and read a variety of op-eds; they do not fall prey to the "official" propaganda of the MSM.

They usually have food stored, are able to defend their family, and have educated themselves on the inevitable worldwide economic collapse, breakdown of our Constitutional rights, and threats of foreign governments and/or terrorists. In other words, they don't have their heads in the sand, and are not ignorant of the clock on the wall. Yet they just can't quite go all the way.
By that, I mean that while they are pro-active in preparing for any number of crisis scenarios, and they have spent considerable time studying what the economic gurus suggest to protect their nest eggs, they still ask the question, "What else can I do? There's got to be one more thing that will see us through these calamities." They are still hoping for that secret antidote that will cure what ails us.
No matter how many times they ask, our answer is always the same.... "You must get right with God." Now I know that sounds like a stale and overworked solution. But it is the only way out of this mess for any of us. You see, I think that so many people profess a reliance on God, but in order to do that, you have to be willing to lose all that has come to define you. And that means houses, cars, boats, planes, bank accounts, precious metals, means of defense, authority, prestige, titles, those we love ... everything ... up to, and including, our lives. And there's no doubt about it; that thought sucks! After all, we have worked so hard to achieve things and status; and we have just reached what should be the "payoff period" for all our efforts. We should be experiencing the best time of our lives!There's got to be some miracle formula that we haven't thought of, right?

Now I can excuse non-believers for reaching for that mysterious way out, but if you call yourself a Christian, then shame on you! I'm not saying that you shouldn't take precautions and prepare yourself as best you can, but they are not enough! You should realize that all those safeguards are merely temporal; they will only serve to protect you from worldly affairs, never spiritual. And by the way, as a self-professing Christian, have you taken the time to read our manual? It's called the Bible. Going to church, getting baptized, and observing all the rituals is not enough! Because if you will devote the time to getting to know the God you proclaim as your hope ... and I mean really getting to know Him ... then you will discover that what faces us is nothing new.
From that first temptation in the Garden of Eden, man has sought to control his own destiny. Adam and Eve were convinced they could manage their own fate; God lost his primary position in their lives. And so it is with us today. We think that we're smart enough, successful enough, or creative enough to work our way out of this downward spiral. If we just get the right elected officials in office ... or if we throw enough money at living off-grid .... or if we just try to be a good person, then God will recognize our efforts and we can buy some more time.
Then there are those who always seem to skate through the tumultuous times with nary a scratch. Sure, they may be cashing in on the new oil boom, and real estate is still a hot commodity. So while they are laying up earthly rewards, they feel inoculated against spiritual judgment. I know it sounds so trite, but really, people --- do you honestly think that the few years you occupy space on this planet is all there is to your existence? Are you so caught up in all your "stuff" that you've never given a thought to what happens the exact moment after you die? Just being a good person does not guarantee a spot in Heaven.
Oh, we've got our image of God in our back pocket and we pull Him out whenever we get in over our heads, or things are particularly scary. But folks, God cannot be confined, and neither can He be summoned at our convenience. We need to face the reality of our situation: our future looks dark. We cannot solve political and social problems without a spiritual reawakening. I have a pretty good idea that most people who are reading this post have accomplished as much preparation as is humanly possible. Now the real work begins ... you can concentrate on spending the same amount of time in your Bible, getting to know your God and discovering His promises to you, if you will put Him first. That, my friend, is real preparation, real security and real hope!

1 Corinthians 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."

3 comments:

Your post today reflected some of the thoughts that have been at the back of my mind, especially losing what we have worked so hard for. It's easy to quote from Job "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away Blessed be the name of the Lord" but do I really believe this applies to me. After all, I'm a faithful Christian. I go to church. I study the word of God everyday. Then I have to stop, take a deep breath and confess this fear and arrogance to the Lord. Everything I have in life comes from the grace of God.My goal is to feel like Paul in Phil 4:11 "for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am."I have to remember my job as a Christian is to glorify the Lord and not myself.

You have expressed the thoughts of every devout Christian! We all have to fight those selfish thoughts and emotions and remember that we were created to glorify God! Thank you for your honest and perceptive comments.

By Pam Kohler

About Me

Christian, Conservative, American woman. I am awake and aware of the state of my country, and am determined to stand up for what I believe in. I will boldly proclaim the Truth of my Faith, and share the journey that my Lord is taking me on. I am not afraid to challenge old OR new belief systems, always using the Holy Scripture as my guide. I am firmly committed to being "in the world", but not "of the world". There is a purpose for my life, and I am determined to fulfill it. Join me on this journey in this crazy world, and let's see where God takes us!